Last Friday we discussed the 3-day split in bodybuilding. Today we will go into the 4-day stagger split. This split is what I am doing currently and I am getting excellent results from it. As with the 3-day split, I recommend doing this for two weeks and then switching off so as not to give the body a chance to get used to the routine.
In the 3-day split routine there as a measure of consistency. Leg day would fall on Wednesday and Saturday every week. There are ups and downs to this. The obvious up side is that your body gets on a schedule. It’s Wednesday, leg day, let’s get it. Not to much
You need to keep both body and mind from getting bored. Intensity is almost as important as form.
thinking. You can focus your brain on the workout at hand and, if you did this for long enough, you wouldn’t even need to consult your book. It just becomes normal. The odd thing is that the downside is the same as the upside. Your brain getting used to it means your body is getting used to it and if your body is getting used to physical work it will begin doing it more efficiently. Remember, bodily efficiency in the gym is the enemy.
To combat this, enter the 4-day stagger split. In this split we work the body in four days, have a cardio/active rest day and then begin day one over again. So if Monday is Chest/Back day then next Chest/Back day will be Saturday and the next Monday will be something altogether different.
This is not the face of someone who does preacher curls for the 3rd lift of their workout every Tuesday and Friday. You have to switch it up. (Also, notice the weight and stop trying to show how big your dick is by curling weights that are too heavy for you)
The way I break my current 4-day stagger split down is as a push pull with
Day 1: Chest/Back/Abs/Cardio
Day 2: Legs/Abs/Cardio
Day 3: Arms/Abs/Cardio
Day 4: Shoulders/Abs/Cardio
Day 5: Cardio/Abs/Active Rest Activity
Day 5: Repeat Day 1
With this break down the days of the week for different muscle groups are constantly being switched. You can also switch this by doing the push pull for one cycle and then doing the same split but changing from push pull to sympathetic secondary muscle groups.
Below is a sample workout for this kind of split.
Day 1: Chest/Back/Abs/Cardio
Superset 1 Rep Range 12,10,8,6
Barbell Bench Press
X
T-Bar Row
Superset 2 Rep Range 12,10,8,6
Lat Pulldown
X
Incline Barbell Bench Press
Deadlifts 16, 12, 10, 8, 6
Superset 3 12,10, 8, 6
1 Arm Dumbbell Row
X
Flat Bench Flyes
Decline Bench Press 16, 12, 10, 8, 6
Cable Curls 5×25
45 minutes stair climber
Day 2: Legs/Abs/Cardio
Barbell Squats 12,10,8,6
Superset 1 Rep Range 12,10,8,6
Leg Extensions
X
Lying Leg Curls
Superset 2 Rep Range 12,10,8,6
Leg Press
X
Calf Raises
Superset 3
Hanging Leg Raise 15,15,15,15
X
Plank 1 minute for four sets
45 minutes stairclimber
Day 3: Arms/Abs/Cardio
Superset 1 Rep Range 12,10,8,6
Standing EZ Bar Curls
X
Skull Crushers
Superset 2 Rep Range 12,10,8,6
Dumbbell Concentration Curls
X
Triceps Cable Pushdown
Superset 3 Rep Range 12,10,8,6
Preacher Curls
X
Dumbbell Kickbacks
Cable Curls 4×20 + one drop set
50 pushups
Decline Situps 4×20
45 minutes stairclimber
Day 4: Shoulders/Abs/Cardio
Superset 1 Rep Range 12,10,8,6
Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press
X
Upright Row
Superset 2
Hanging Leg Raise 20,20,20,20
X
Stability Ball Crunch 25,25,25,25
Superset 3
Lat Raise 12,10,8,6
X
4 sets of 45 seconds plank
Superset 4 Rep Range 12,10,8,6
Read Delt Machine
X
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Standing Military Press 12,10,8,6
45 minutes stair climber
Day 5: Cardio/Abs/Active Rest Activity
1-hour stair climber
Hanging Leg raise 4×20
Cable Crunch 4×20
Weighted Side Oblique Crunch 4×20 (each side)
1 hour bootcamp class, yoga or playing a sport
Day 6: Repeat Day 1
There it is, a 4-day stagger split routine. Try it out sometime and see how you like it. After 2-3 weeks you will really feel the switch up of the days wearing your body down. One other thing that the 4-day stagger split has going for it is that very often you will have heavy work to do on the weekends. Sunday was my last leg day. Knowing Sunday was my leg day kept me in line Saturday night because I knew I wanted to grind out legs in the morning. If you are the type of person who works your ass off all week and then lets it go way too much on the weekend, the 4-day stagger split might be perfect for you.
Changing your splits up will keep your intensity up and keeping your intensity up is the name of the game. When Mike Tyson fought Razor Ruddock he qas quoted pre fight as saying “if he doesn’t die, it doesn’t count. If he’s not dead, it doesn’t count.” This is the intensity we should be lifting with. Scary intensity. You don’t go to the gym for hours a day and stress and fatigue your body while keeping your diet on point just to be mediocre. Go go to the gym to train like the bunnies. When you step out on the gym floor your head, your body and your very soul should be focused on nothing short of murder. You will know you are doing it right when people start going out of their way to avoid you. If you make eye contact with someone in the gym you should be able to smell their fear. It is on you to keep your mind in this place, but keeping your body in this place is directly related to your programs. By constantly switching up the split your body never gets complacent.
As for your mind, here is a video of Iron Mike’s most brutal knockouts to inspire your next trip to the gym.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGHbK5m5704